- WRITTEN BY FOUR, YOUNG, FIRST-TIME PLAYWRIGHTS – ALL OF THEM GRADUATES OF FRÂN WEN’S ARTIST DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME
- THE AUDIENCE STEP INTO THE LAST PARTY OF THE WORLD IN THE NEAR FUTURE, WHERE A CATASTROPHIC DISASTER HAS DROWNED COMMUNITIES
- FOR ONE NIGHT ONLY, THIS WILL BE THE FIRST PLAY TO BE PERFORMED ON THE NATIONAL EISTEDDFOD’S MAES B
- THIS WILL BE A CALL TO ACTION - FROM YOUNG PEOPLE TO YOUNG PEOPLE
- THE PLAY WILL BE PERFORMED ALL OVER MAES B; A MASSIVE AND IMMERSIVE AUDIENCE EXPERIENCE COMBINING SPOKEN WORD, LIVE MUSIC AND THEATRE
Maes B - the residential area for young visitors to the National Eisteddfod - will be transformed this year when Frân Wen and the National Eisteddfod stage a brand new immersive show, for one night only.
Popeth ar y Ddaear is the first playwriting commission for four young emerging playwrights – Marged Tudur, Mari Elen, Iestyn Tyne and Lauren Connelly. They promise a provocative and shocking show that will raise big questions about our future.
The production, which is the fruit of four years of development work, will invite an audience to step into a world in the near future, where a catastrophic disaster has submerged communities.
We will come across Tom, who is waiting to hear if he will receive asylum, and Undeg, who needs to make a decision for herself and the baby in her belly. We will also meet Malltwen on her last night on Earth - and she is determined to leave the world in a better state.
The audience is guided all over Maes B throughout the play, which will be performed on Friday 11 August, at the Llŷn and Eifionydd National Eisteddfod 2023. Seven young associate artists will shadow the core artistic team, together with an ensemble of over 100 young people and professional artists, and there’ll be live, original music from HMS Morris.
The following day, Frân Wen will host a discussion with the production's creative team on the key role of the arts in promoting social change and connecting people with the climate crisis.
Gethin Evans, Artistic Director of Frân Wen said; "This large-scale performance brings together a group of extremely talented young people and a professional team, to dazzle the crowd at Maes B like never before. Like Nia Morais, the author of Imrie, the four writers are part of a new generation of young playwrights in Wales who create thrilling and honest work - and who have plenty to say about the world from their perspective."
Betsan Moses, Chief Executive of the National Eisteddfod added; "This is the next step in the important relationship between the Eisteddfod and Frân Wen, and it is an extremely exciting step. We are eagerly looking forward to offering a very special theatrical experience in Maes B this year. We strongly believe that we need to take our language, our culture and the arts to people of all ages, and the opportunity to do this with Popeth ar y Ddaear is absolutely thrilling and sure to attract a new audience to take an interest in the world of theatre in Wales."
Popeth ar y Ddaear is co-produced by Frân Wen and the National Eisteddfod of Wales, with the support of Literature Wales, Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru and the University of South Wales. It is funded by the Arts Council of Wales through the National Lottery.